Cocaine horror for tot who bit into bag during taxi ride
A TODDLER needed hospital treatment after biting into a bag of cocaine she allegedly found in a taxi.
Two-year-old Scarlett Whiston put the small blue packet of white powder into her mouth after apparently picking it up from the floor of a car operated by Longton-based Autocabs.
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Treatment: Little Scarlett was taken to the University Hospital of North Staffordshire.
Little Scarlett had tests on her heartbeat, blood pressure and eyes before being released from hospital five hours later.
Now Staffordshire Police have confirmed the powder has tested positive for the Class A drug cocaine.
Mum Sophie, aged 20, today said she thought her daughter was lucky to be alive.
Sophie, of Forrister Street, Longton, said: "Scarlett actually had the bag in her mouth and there was white powder all on the floor of the taxi.
"It's frightening to think how close she might have come to dying."
Sophie and Scarlett had caught a taxi from Abbey Hulton to Longton on Sunday, October 30. During the journey, Sophie found Scarlett had the packet.
It is understood that the cocaine had been accidentally left by a passenger.
Sophie called 999 and Scarlett was taken to the University Hospital of North Staffordshire by ambulance.
Sophie, who also has a four-year-old son Harley, said: "Scarlett was really stressed and was crying. It was such a relief when the nurses eventually said she was okay."
It is understood the cocaine was handed to police.
Sophie's grandmother Annetta, aged 43, of Longton, said: "Luckily Scarlett was fine but that's not the point. Young children will put anything in their mouths." Autocabs today confirmed it was aware of an incident involving cocaine in one of its taxis but declined to comment further.
A police spokesman said: "We received a call following reports a two-year-old girl had gone to hospital after chewing through a bag containing white powder. The child's condition is fine.
"The powder has tested positive for cocaine and has now been destroyed.
"Advice has been given to the taxi driver."
City councillor Joy Garner, who is vice-chairman of the city council's licensing and general purposes committee and a member of Staffordshire Police Authority, said: "This is a startling incident. I'm relieved to hear the child is okay."
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by angelsnhevan
Tuesday, November 15 2011, 7:16PM
“@DoctorDo
Well spotted i didnt see that error but omg lmao”
by MHGVFSHKBVF
Tuesday, November 15 2011, 7:08PM
“Good on this young Mum for taking such swift actions and getting the little one to the hospital, and thank you for reporting this incident to the local paper. Call me naive but i would never expect to find drugs in a Taxi, i for one will be more vigilant in future.
Some people should be ashamed of the nasty vile comments they have put on here.”
by Backdoored
Tuesday, November 15 2011, 7:06PM
“Pure Stoke -this has everything.”
by SANDY20101
Tuesday, November 15 2011, 5:25PM
“Netty 1968 Glad you reported the nasty comments to the sentinel. Hope they look into it for you. and stop the person involved from commenting in the future. Look after yourselves.”
by angelsnhevan
Tuesday, November 15 2011, 5:23PM
“@netty1968,
I'm so sorry that you and your family have had to read such insulting things i hope now it all comes to and end.
I wish you Sophie and the little un's the very best for the future.”
by gemmaoley
Tuesday, November 15 2011, 1:34PM
“i no sophie and she is a really good mum to her kids the taxi driver should always check there veichle over. so all the doubters who have slated sophie needs to take a look at there own sad pethetic lives and leave the poor woman alone.”
by netty1968
Monday, November 14 2011, 8:53PM
“Sophie always takes care of the children she is a responsible mother who had been my mothers to fetch her inhaler as she was ill, Harley has ADHD and he takes a lot to control... if Sophie could take our car seats she would but to carry 2 seats a pram and 2 children is impossible dear... and the only reason she was in a taxi that day was because my car had broke down... and yes it was a split second that scarlett was on the floor and the bag went in her mouth... as soon as it went in Sophie pulled it out... So do not knock my daughters parenting skills unless you were there with her in the taxi..i can remember when Harley was a toddler and we were shopping in demand he had reins on and there was a 35ish year old woman with a little girl and no reins on next minute the woman was screaming ..my daughters gone missing, so really it doesn't matter what age you are for things to go wrong when children are concerned... and my daughter us a very good mother...”
by Backdoored
Monday, November 14 2011, 7:16PM
“I suppose, from what's been said on this 'comment forum' that the bottom line is, if you can't keep your child in the safety harness provided in a Taxi or Private Hire vehicle, then don't travel in one -because the chances of cocaine or other lethal substances being at large in the car -especially to be found on the floor, and given the amount of speculation that the Taxi and Private Hire -Drivers deal in such commodities -it does make it a high risk journey for such young children.”
by johnboy2011
Monday, November 14 2011, 6:06PM
“Before people start defending Taxi firms, they should take a look on the car park at the bottom of Carlisle Street in Dresden, on evenings and weekends. There are certainly some shifty goings on. You've only got to walk on the park and smell the air.
I'm not saying all taxis are the same but there definitely a few, and I understand its been reported, but nothing seems to have been done.”
by SC_Newc
Monday, November 14 2011, 2:58PM
“Sandy I agree with you. Doesn't it say something about the ethics of the taxi firm that they don't insist on children being strapped in or in a child seat despite it being against the law? Now maybe there are some parents who will use a taxi firm they know which doesn't insist on this purely because their child(ren) don't like it, but being lax in one area means they will be the same in other areas too - which must include transporting people who are so out of it they drop their own drugs on the floor!”